Blu-ray Movie Reviews

The Grinch (Jim Carrey) doesn't have the Christmas spirit, but why? Cindy Lou Who (Taylor Momsen) is determined to find out and befriends the Whoville outcast in order to spread her holiday cheer. But as the title suggests, the Grinch has plans of his own.

I never was a huge fan of the popular 1966 cartoon, but I've read the Dr. Seuss book countless times to my kids over the years. The feature film made its debut in 2000 with Ron Howard teaming with superstar Jim Carrey, but the reviews were lukewarm. Still, the film went on to gross over $260 million—so much for the critics!

I've seen this movie six times, and I've never been impressed with how it has looked on any format—film, DVD, or HD DVD. Unfortunately, the Blu-ray doesn't change my mind in this regard. Colors rarely pop off the screen due to a surprisingly bland palette. Close-ups do have a lot of detail, but as the camera pans back, things become a little soft and fuzzy.

The DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack displays excellent imaging across the front soundstage with a plethora of pans and well-placed discrete effects. Frequency response is top-notch with excellent bass and crisp highs, but regrettably, the surround speakers are underutilized throughout much of the film. The conclusion has the potential to be a demo-worthy scene, but the sound is too forward and not as enveloping as it should be.

Supplements include deleted scenes, outtakes, behind-the-scenes featurettes on the visual effects and makeup, and some "Wholiday Recipes" from your favorite Whoville characters. Additional goodies include a commentary from Ron Howard, a music video by Faith Hill, scene sharing via BD-Live, and a DVD copy of the film.

While it's not my favorite Christmas classic—I prefer A Christmas Story—The Grinch is enjoyable nonetheless. Carrey can get a tad annoying with his antics, but Taylor Momsen steals the show with her innocent portrayal as the cute kid. I wish I could say the audio and video were a huge improvement over the HD DVD, but that just isn't the case. Recommended for fans.

Release Date: October 13, 2009
Studio: Universal

Movie: 7/10
Picture: 8/10
Sound: 8/10

Review System

Source
Oppo BDP-83 Blu-ray player

Display
JVC DLA-RS1 projector
Stewart FireHawk screen (76.5" wide, 16:9)

Electronics
Onkyo Pro PR-SC885 pre/pro
Anthem PVA-7 power amplifier
Belkin PF60 power conditioner

Speakers
M&K S-150s (L, C, R)
M&K SS-150s (LS, RS, SBL, SBR)
SVS PC-Ultra subwoofer

Cables
Monoprice HDMI cables (source to pre/pro)
Best Deal analog-audio cables
PureLink HDC Fiber Optic HDMI Cable System (15 meters) from pre/pro to projector

Acoustical treatments from GIK Acoustics